Cancer Alliance team
Adnan Sheikh - clinical chair
Adnan is a consultant colorectal and general surgeon at East Lancashire NHS Trust and has been the lead for colorectal cancer services.
Adnan is a consultant colorectal and general surgeon at East Lancashire NHS Trust and has been the lead for colorectal cancer services.
Dr Geraldine Skailes - executive chair of the cancer alliance and lead medical director for the provider collaborative board
Appointed as a consultant at the Royal Preston Hospital in 1997 with an interest in treating lung and gynaecological cancers, she continues to work as a consultant in oncology.
Appointed as a consultant at the Royal Preston Hospital in 1997 with an interest in treating lung and gynaecological cancers, she continues to work as a consultant in oncology.
Neil Smith - primary care director
Neil has been a GP in Blackburn for over 20 years. He has always had a portfolio career and was previously Associate Dean at Manchester Medical School. Neil is currently a partner in a busy practice, a GP appraiser and trainer as well as stadium doctor for Blackburn Rovers.
Neil has been a GP in Blackburn for over 20 years. He has always had a portfolio career and was previously Associate Dean at Manchester Medical School. Neil is currently a partner in a busy practice, a GP appraiser and trainer as well as stadium doctor for Blackburn Rovers.
Lee Threlfall - head of performance
Lee has held a number of performance-related posts in local government, commissioning organisations and secondary care providers.
Lee has held a number of performance-related posts in local government, commissioning organisations and secondary care providers.
Amanda Short - head of transformation
Amanda started her career on the NHS Graduate Finance Training Scheme 16 years ago where she gained a CIMA qualification. She has held senior positions in secondary care clinical divisions. Her experience includes policy development, strategy, programme management and operational delivery.
Amanda started her career on the NHS Graduate Finance Training Scheme 16 years ago where she gained a CIMA qualification. She has held senior positions in secondary care clinical divisions. Her experience includes policy development, strategy, programme management and operational delivery.
Lisa Flanagan - senior programme manager, targeted lung health check project
Lisa currently leads the work for the Cancer Alliance with the planning and implementation of the national pilot lung cancer screening programme.
Lisa currently leads the work for the Cancer Alliance with the planning and implementation of the national pilot lung cancer screening programme.
Anne Turner - senior programme manager, targeted lung health check project
Anne joined the Cancer Alliance from Lancashire Teaching Hospital where she practiced as a senior therapeutic radiographer for more than ten years.
Anne joined the Cancer Alliance from Lancashire Teaching Hospital where she practiced as a senior therapeutic radiographer for more than ten years.
Jen Burns - senior programme manager
Jen joined Lancashire and South Cumbria Cancer Alliance as senior programme manager in June 2020 and has over ten years’ experience in a variety of NHS roles.
Jen joined Lancashire and South Cumbria Cancer Alliance as senior programme manager in June 2020 and has over ten years’ experience in a variety of NHS roles.
Faye Bennett - cancer quality improvement lead
Faye joined Lancashire and South Cumbria Cancer Alliance in December 2021 as the cancer quality improvement lead.
Faye joined Lancashire and South Cumbria Cancer Alliance in December 2021 as the cancer quality improvement lead.
She has worked as a nurse in several acute NHS trusts for almost twenty years.
Deborah Lakeland - cancer genomics project manager
Deborah joined the team in 2020 and has been a healthcare scientist for more than 32 year. Deborah has worked in many hospitals in South Wales and North West England.
Deborah joined the team in 2020 and has been a healthcare scientist for more than 32 year. Deborah has worked in many hospitals in South Wales and North West England.
Tom Anderton - senior project manager
Tom joined the Cancer Alliance in November 2021, as NHS digital project manager. As pathway lead for breast and lung cancer Tom, focuses on improvements for patients and performance across those tumour sites.
Tom joined the Cancer Alliance in November 2021, as NHS digital project manager. As pathway lead for breast and lung cancer Tom, focuses on improvements for patients and performance across those tumour sites.
Teresa Karran - senior programme manager - early diagnosis
Having trained as a nurse, Teresa now specialises in change management and quality improvement. After working in senior leadership roles at Macmillan and Cancer Research UK, Teresa has returned to the NHS. Her passion lies in making a meaningful difference in the lives of those affected by cancer.
Tanis Barnett - senior project manager, innovations programme
Tanis is a senior project manager for the innovations programme. She has worked in both clinical and service improvement roles for the NHS for over 20 years and joined the Cancer Alliance in January 2022.
Tanis is a senior project manager for the innovations programme. She has worked in both clinical and service improvement roles for the NHS for over 20 years and joined the Cancer Alliance in January 2022.
Helen Stansfield - cancer and health inequalities improvement manager
Helen works across the ICB's cancer and population health teams, focussing on reducing health inequalities, implementing the Core20Plus5 framework, and supporting early diagnosis. Prior to joining the NHS in 2022, Helen worked in partnerships, programme management, communications, and senior leadership roles in the local government, voluntary and private sectors.
Helen works across the ICB's cancer and population health teams, focussing on reducing health inequalities, implementing the Core20Plus5 framework, and supporting early diagnosis. Prior to joining the NHS in 2022, Helen worked in partnerships, programme management, communications, and senior leadership roles in the local government, voluntary and private sectors.
Kaye Davies - senior programme manager
Kaye joined the cancer alliance in September 2020, as an NHS project management and transformation specialist. Kaye leads a team of project managers, focussing on improvement for patients and performance across multiple tumour sites.
Kaye joined the cancer alliance in September 2020, as an NHS project management and transformation specialist. Kaye leads a team of project managers, focussing on improvement for patients and performance across multiple tumour sites.
Sheena Reen - senior project manager
Sheena joined the Cancer Alliance in October 2022 and is a senior project manager for colorectal pathway improvement. Sheena works closely with colleagues from primary and secondary care to identify and implement improvements to the colorectal pathway, including initiatives around FIT (faecal immunochemical testing).